


Better Days!

by Treevile



Category: Parahumans Series - Wildbow
Genre: Body Horror, Horror, It's a lot my friends, M/M, Psychological Horror, Psychological Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24061777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treevile/pseuds/Treevile
Summary: "It's Brockton Bay. Who wouldn't want a better day?"Elijah just wants to have a good day today.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

This isn't right.

It's the first thought I have when I find myself in front of Taylor Hebert, Emma Barnes, and a gaggle of other girls surrounding the both of them. The second thought I have, oddly enough, is that an hour is too long for lunch. Odd, because lunch isn't for another few class periods. Or has it already passed?

This isn't right.

I slowly look up, Emma appraising me with a raised eyebrow and a smile I somehow know is fake. I've never talked to her, I've barely even looked at her, but I just know that there's something broken underneath her plastic grin, easily distorted and warped under the right circumstances. Which circumstances? I couldn't think.

"Are you okay, Elijah?"

Oh...Right. My name, right? Elijah Bishop, fifteen, Winslow High School. Of course that's who I am, but...

I shake my head. "Huh? Oh, uh...sorry," I mumble, squinting a bit. I only have ten minutes to get to class, so I know I should be hurrying down the hallway. Geometry sucks, but I've never skipped a class before and I didn't want to make a habit of it. The perfect attendance award was, admittedly, not as impressive as the honor roll. But it was still an award, and I wanted to feel like I at least accomplished something. I was mediocre, but that didn't mean I wanted to be.

I knew all of this, so why was I here? Why did I even walk up to them?

Emma pats my shoulder, nodding to Taylor. "We were just talking with Taylor here, she started crying so...we just wanted to cheer her up."

I glance to Taylor, not seeing a single tear on her face. Her cheeks are dry, her face is hollow. She was so close to going out in costume and facing down Lung. The Undersiders would be there, will be there, were there, but for how long? Until she found out about Dinah? Maybe it was the way it was supposed to be.

My breath hitches, my eyes water. I've never met Taylor Hebert before. How do I know her name?

[S]She's the hero.[/S]

This isn't right.

Despite everything, I smile and nod to Emma. "Right, s-sorry, I just...I got distracted. I just came over to...uh, to tell you that Mr.Gladly wanted to talk to you. You kinda ran out of class before he could get a chance."

She frowns, and I flinch. The words flowed from my mouth easily, too easily. Were they true? They were. I remembered Mr.Gladly asking me to ask Emma to talk to him. The reason I came over, it's clear to me now. I shake my head a bit, ignoring the strange looks I'm getting. I must have gotten nauseous or something, but I was feeling better now.

What was I even worried about before?

Emma then smiles, nodding before turning back to Taylor. "I gotta go Tay, but I'll be back later okay?"

Taylor doesn't move a muscle, and Emma only smiles wider before turning away and walking off. Some of the girls follow her, some go their own ways, but all of them are gone by the time a minute passes. Taylor and I stand in the hallway relatively alone, the people walking past too busy with their own business to care about a girl who was just being bullied.

Wait...

How did I know they were bullying her?

My thoughts are interrupted by Taylor, her voice nothing like I expected it to be. "Why did you do that?" She all but demands, the obvious suspicion in her voice enough to make me flinch again. I give her a sad smile, and I open my mouth to explain.

Except I don't know either.

The smile is quickly gone, and I'm suddenly walking down the hallway as fast as I can. An idea flows through my ears, a phrase follows me, and an emptiness settles gently on my body. My thoughts are drowning.

This isn't right.

The rest of the day is a blur, and once school is over I catch the bus. The seats are real, but a different kind of real. Unfamiliar, too...completed. Made not in a factory, but in someone's mind.

I have to get home.

And try this again.  
\-------------------------------------

Unlocking the door is familiar, safe.

I open the door and breathe deeply to myself, relief washing over me as I see my little sister Miriam on the couch, playing some sort of video game. Usually I would retreat to my room, but I feel like talking to her today. School somehow managed to be so boring that I barely remembered it, so any sort of human interaction was a blessing at this point.

I walk over and jump on the couch next to her, grinning a bit as she jumps and glares at me. Her hair is a wild black curly mess, but she still manages to get annoyed when I lean over and ruffle it. She slaps my hand slightly and keeps glaring, turning back to the T.V. screen as she mumbles a greeting. "When did you get home?"

I shrug. "Just now. What's up kiddo?"

It takes her almost ten seconds to answer, her eyes slowly moving to mine as she pauses her game. "Uh...good. nothing."

I roll my eyes, lying back and stretching. "Usually when someone asks you how you are, saying 'good' isn't really a response."

She scowls, pushing me and ignoring my laughter. "Shut up," she snaps, although I can see the beginnings of a smile on her face as she begins to laugh.

I grin, ruffling her hair again despite her weak protests. Being ten years old meant that she figured herself too cool to talk to her family, at least in my opinion. I remember times when she was about a tall as a dog and constantly running around getting herself into trouble. Time brought on change though, and now she's happy with doing stuff without us, and I figure she prefers it that way.

Not that I blame her. It's not like I'm a social butterfly in any way.

I mull over my thoughts as I let her play her game, speaking up once she falls off a cliff and frowns. "Where's Robyn by the way? Is she home from work?"

Miriam nods, pointing at the hallway to our left. "Mhmm. She's talking with mom about something."

I pause, hiding a sigh as I nod and get up. Of course, hearing her say 'mom' is enough to put a damper on my mood, but putting off talking to them isn't gonna do me any favors. It's not like I can ignore them anyway, not if I wanted to keep living here.

Still, I linger in the hallway as I walk through it, pulling out my phone and checking for something, anything to distract me. I see three new messages and scroll through them, humming a tune I don't recognize as I begin to read.

Cam:  
Yo dude I'm bored as fuck, what's up with you.

Mom:  
Make sure u take out the trash. I am tired of u forgetting.

Myself:  
This isn't right.

Aaron:  
Hey Elijah, I had a really good time last night. My parents wanted to meet you and say hi, and they wouldn't leave me alone about it lol. If you're too busy it's okay. Have a good day sweetheart!

A smile threatens to split my face in two as I read the last message, and I hold my phone to my chest for a moment. I then text back a quick reply to the two of them, ignoring my mom's message and pushing the door to her room open.

My eyes are immediately assaulted by the cross on our wall, and I attempt to turn away, only to forget about the painting of Jesus right above the queen sized bed. The room is large, although the large desk to my right stacked with paper and small shelves along with the filing cabinet is enough to make it feel smaller.

The angel figurines sit on the dresser to my left, and I resist the urge to knock one of them over once I realize Robyn is there, looking out of the window and humming to herself.

She is also, annoyingly enough, glowing her stupid signature bright blue.

I knock on the wall next to me, taking small satisfaction in the way she jumps as she turns to me. I wave at her, and she flips me off, then quickly lowering her finger as she nervously glances to the cross on the wall.

I roll my eyes, but straighten myself up. Fun is fun, but I just want to get this over with. "Do you know where mom is?"

She crosses her arms, giving me a glare that somehow manages to already frustrate me. "Why? She's still at work."

I ignore her tone and shrug. "Was gonna ask about dad. And tell her that I'm gonna be hanging out with Aaron sooner or later this week."

'...You do realize that I'm gonna be hanging out with Luke all week right? I can't be staying home with Miriam all day."

"It's not like we'll be hanging out all day-"

I stop myself, breathing in deeply and giving her a smile. "You know what? I'll just text mom. Bye."

I turn on my heel and walk out, ignoring how she calls my name as I head up to my room. I nearly slam the door, stopping myself at the last minute and walking directly to my closet. I ignore the clothes and towels in the way and dig deep, pushing out hangers and moving boxes until I see it.

A black hoodie, jeans, and a mask painted red and white. Enough for me, and enough for what I need to do. I won't tell them, not one of them. I want this.

Right?

I shake my head and keep going. It doesn't matter. All that matters is I go out and fight Lung tonight-

I shake my head vehemently this time, my body shaking and my breath coming in ragged bursts. No. Where the fuck did that idea even come from. No way am I gonna fight Lung tonight, and even if I want to I don't know where to look. I'm getting ahead of myself, and I need to slow down.

So that's what I do.

I pause and look at myself in the mirror on my dresser, cringing slightly. curly and frizzled black hair, brown skin that somehow looks pale, and tired eyes that were definitely not easy to look at. I don't know what Aaron sees in me.

And all at once, the feeling comes back to me again. The feeling that, maybe, things are escaping me. Is that how my conversations with my sisters usually go? So...short? unfulfilling. The California weather didn't help much.

No, not California. Brockton Bay. Where did I get California from?

This isn't right.

The thought falls from my mind and a smile comes from somewhere, and my thoughts are drowning. I was going to make things better. It was time to go out and be a hero.

Time to go fight Lung, time to find Taylor, time to stop trying to escape.

I'm ready.


	2. Second Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elijah has his first night out, and makes plans to rob a bank.

I don't remember how I got here.

I shiver as I walk through the Brockton Bay streets, my face burning and thankfully covered by my mask as people make their way past me. The odd looks I can handle, but only because I refuse to look anybody in the eye as I shuffle along. I remember in the back of my head that it's not supposed to be this cold, but the thought falls away as quickly as it comes.

What was I thinking about again?

I hum, knowing that patrolling like this more than likely won't get me results. I would be the first to say I don't think ahead, and it became that much more clear as I ducked into an alleyway. This...this was still part of the nice area in Brockton Bay. The area where you rarely saw any crime at all. I don't know why I thought I'd find anything here, but if I wanted to face off against Lung-

_ No. _

I meekly slap myself, crouching down and rubbing a hand through my hair. What the fuck am I thinking? I already decided that I wasn't going to go after Lung, but him and the undersiders keep  _ filling my mind.  _ I have the sinking feeling that, sooner or later, I'll run into either one of them or the both of them. And the thought terrifies me.

~~ But I've done this before. ~~

I sigh and flex my hand, looking down at it in disdain. It's not like I really want to be a hero, figuring out early that I wouldn't ever be as passionate and into it as Robyn was. I won't let myself, because then I'd be like her, and she and mom are the last people I want to compare myself with.

No, the truth is I'm a coward. Or more accurately, someone so afraid of confrontation and in need of validation that I've hurt more people than I care to admit, and I'm only fifteen. My life had a few simple goals I had wanted to follow, goals that were mostly the only things I focus on.

Find nice friends, find a girlfriend (or boyfriend, now that I was more comfortable with who I was,) and find a way to make myself happy.

I was still working on the last part.

I clear my head of the treacherous thoughts and lean into a wall, concentrating. It takes me a moment, but my hands glow a bright pink, and the stone folds under my fingertips like wet clay. I use the opportunity to cover myself in concrete head to toe, steadily exerting my power to make sure the stone was easy to move around in. Soft on the inside, sturdy and tough on the outside.

I smile to myself and absentmindedly pick up a piece of stray wood, making sure I'm out of sight before working my power on it. I mold the wood, easily, into a multitude of shapes. My power isn't the flashiest, but it's something at least. Five year old me would've been excited at the prospect of even getting powers, but reality was a lot more boring.

An hour later, and I'm back on the streets, my thoughts drifting again. I've lived in this city all of my life, but the buildings still look unfamiliar and I still get lost, from time to time. It's annoying...and unsettling, but I figure it's just the way my mind works. It doesn't stop me from being myself, meeting friends, hoping that I can get back home-

I stop. My mind is stuck in a haze. I am home, aren't I? Or...I'm in Brockton Bay, at least.

There was no difference there. So why did it feel like there was?

~~ Because we keep trying, and we keep failing. ~~

I blink.

Gang members, all around looking at some guy in a mask. A mask that looks suspiciously like a dragon. Tattoos cover his chest and arms, and he's saying something. I look around and the buildings are even more unfamiliar. They're spreading, I don't remember how I got here. I know Lung is going to kill the undersiders, but I don't know  _ why _ I know. Why can't I remember?

My thoughts are  _ drowning. _

I smile, walking up and setting my palms flat against the ground. Lung stops speaking and begins to stare, and his gang members do as well. I swallow my fear and my excitement and I stare him in the eye, giving him an unseen grin.

Finally, I found him. I've been looking for him, right?

My body responds to me, and the ground beneath me suddenly ruptures. A pillar forms and pushes me into the air, and I take the opportunity to mold it. My hand slides easily through the stone as the pillar forms above Lung, and a large chunk falls down and slams into him. Two gang members aren't so lucky, one feeling the weight of a stray piece of stone piercing his leg as he falls. Another is hit in the head and lays unmoving.

He's unconscious, I can tell but I don't know why I can. I'm sick to my stomach, my body on fire as I fear for their lives. I didn't mean to hurt them like that, why the fuck was I even  _ here _ . The same damn question and I  _ can't- _

~~ Stop trying to get away . ~~

I smile, a surge of confidence threatening to spill from my heart. Lung couldn't hide from me. It was time he took my challenge seriously. A battle with a giant dragon? This was gonna be worth it.

Then he's growing. Too fast, too much. Already twelve feet tall, and already I'm limply falling as a stray wave of flame washes over me. My body is on fire and I nearly hit the ground hard, but an extension of my power lets me make it soft upon impact. I sink, yelping as it begins to deform even further once Lung lobs another fireball at me.

I growl and slam my fist into the ground, letting it sink it. I work my fingers and pull out a long spike of concrete. I place it on the ground and use my power again, propelling it towards Lung with a newly formed pillar as it rockets from the ground. The spike catches him clear in the face, and he his skull is split and broken but he still smiles and oh god the teeth and the muscle and-

"k'll 'ooo"

Kill me? he was going to kill me?

My thoughts fall away as I give him a grin in return. I'd like to see him try.

He was Lung after all. I'd have to try a bit harder.

I work my fingers again, grabbing onto the concrete and lifting it over myself like a blanket. I ignore the fire as I 'swim' underground, moving the dirt and stone around me almost as effortlessly as I'd move through air. I know where he is, and once I'm completely under him I let my hands rise from the ground, grabbing at his ankles and pulling him down under with me. He thrashes and struggles, but I deform the earth around him to make it easier for myself. Once only his head remains above ground, I 'swim' back up and flop down onto the ground a good deal away from him, smiling.

His head sags, and my heart stops.

Bites. Bug bites everywhere, all over his face and showing no signs of stopping. He's trying his best to get away, but when I look up I see the Bug Girl. Her bugs? How did I know?

No. Not Bug Girl. Taylor.

It's falling apart.

I struggle to stand, and I can hear Lung laughing and whimpering at the same time. Taylor has a golden halo above her, and the sky is a gaping void where my soul used to be. I look down, and the mouths of my past are screaming at me as they lie underneath, screaming and cursing and crying.

Lung is nothing more than a pathetic whelp, now above ground but now just as pathetic as any gang member. It's not right, he's fought off Protectorate teams by himself. It's not right, nobody should have been able to beat him this easily. I shouldn't have.

This isn't right.

Skitter walks on air towards me.

Weaver stops in front of me.

Khepri smiles.

I can feel myself sobbing, but I cant get away as I bump into something behind me. I turn around to see a man, no, a robot. Armed with a halberd and staring at me with piercing red eyes. He has no legs, only a motorcycle, and every movement he makes is jerky, uneven and  _ efficient. _ I admire it. I admire him.

His head bends in and sideways. His arm falls from his shoulder, but he makes no effort to retrieve it. His voice is grinding and screeching, and it makes me cry.

"You. Fight me? gonna fight me? You gonna fight? Me? Gonna fight? Fight? Fight Me? You? You Fight? Fight me. Fight Me. Gonna Fight Me?"

I can't help but nod and let my body slowly melt to nothing. Taylor is hugging me and whispering something, and my thoughts are drowning.

~~ I can't escape. ~~

\-----------------------------------

"So, that's the plan. What do you think Eli?"

I blink.

I turn my head around, slowly taking everything in. Lisa, Brian and Taylor are all sitting at the table with me, and I look down at a map. The map? They never had a map. Did they?

Another blink. I remember joining up with The Undersiders, agreeing to help Taylor go undercover and bring them to justice. We were about to rob a bank. Were we?

I nod. A good plan. It's what happened. It's what will happen. It's happening.

All at once.

I nod again, humming. "Well...I like it, It'll be tough but if you say we won't have much trouble...I believe you Lisa."

She grins, her eyes sparkling as she fixes me with a pleased look. "that's what I want to hear."

Brian grunts and shakes his head. "This isn't an excuse to get overconfident, remember that. We go in, we do this, we get out. Got it?" He turns around and glares half-heartedly at Alec and Rachel. "You two hear that? Easy and quick. No bullshit."

Alec waves lazily, and Rachel grunts back in response. I smile, knowing that I'll be able to get close to them soon. Maybe they were villains, but that didn't mean they couldn't be my friends.

Lisa laughs a bit, nodding. "No bullshit. Good news is, this is gonna land us a ton of reputation."

Brian sighs, shaking his head slightly. "Still don't like it. It's stupid, but if we're all in agreement..."

We all nod, and I sneak off to check my phone. I send Aaron a quick text telling him I'm okay, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks as he sends me a string of tiny hearts in response. I'll turn in the Undersiders, and then I'll go back to being a regular hero. Join the wards with Taylor, and...

And then what?

Wait.

My breath hitches, my eyes grow wide.

~~ Accept it. ~~

I smile. It's time to turn Brockton Bay on its side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: What a lovely day! Thanks for reading <3


End file.
